But Shonn Greene was clearly the Jets’ guy.  They would not have moved up to get him had he not been ranked highly on their board.

With Thomas Jones in the middle of a contract dispute, drafting a running back early was a smart move and Greene is the type of runner that Rex Ryan wants in his offense.

He runs with low pad level, does not give defenders much to hit and has great leg drive to run through arm tackles. 

One of the concerns I have about Greene is his mental aptitude.  He was declared academically ineligible in 2007 and had to attend a local community college.  He also missed spring practices in 2008 because of grades.

Now, there have been many successful players in the NFL who were not great students.  However, Greene’s academic problems are a red flag and could be an issue in terms of him learning an NFL playbook. 

Typically running backs transition extremely well to the NFL.  They do not need a lot of technique work and can use their natural running skills to guide them through their rookie year but Greene will have some work to do.

If he wants to stay on the field for all three downs, he will have to become a better pass blocker.  Many backs come into the league lacking in this area but Greene has the toughness and strength to improve as a blocker. 

Greene also has the size you look for.  A 6-1, 230 lbs he can carry the ball 25 times a game and get stronger as the game goes along.  He should be very valuable in the second half of games when the Jets need to protect a lead, run out the clock and wear down the defense.

Greene has a small body of work.  He had one very solid season in 2008 but was not much of a factor before that. 

His numbers were impressive last year – 307 carries, 1,850 yards and 20 TD’s – but when I evaluated him before the draft, I discounted those numbers a bit because he played behind a very solid offensive line and rarely had to create on his own.

When you watch Greene on tape you see him running through gaping holes.  I am interested in seeing how he handles the smaller running lanes in the NFL.

Greene was not regarded as a hard worker at Iowa and that is a concern that he must answer.  But he will be coming into a tight-knit environment in the Jets’ locker room. 

The Jets are a diligent team.  They have players who put in time in the film room, weight room and on the practice field.  With the additions of Mark Sanchez on offense and Bart Scott on defense, the Jets now have tremendous leadership on both sides of the ball.

Shonn Greene will have some good role models to follow and in Mark Sanchez, he has a guy who will get in his face if he is not carrying his weight. 

I think Greene has a good chance to shake his reputation as a marginal worker.

Greene does not have good speed, running a 4.6-40.  Now, speed is not the most critical factor for a running back, particularly someone with Greene’s powerful running style, but guys without top-end speed usually have some wiggle and Greene does not have that either.

He will be okay as long as he has a good offensive line to run behind but will struggle against good defenses that close down running lanes.  He is not very creative and will need to rely on his teammates to excel.
 
He is a between the tackles runner with a powerful leg drive and likes to lower his shoulder into linebackers and safeties.

He is also a very patient runner, knows how to set up his blocks and has the vision to find creases in the defense.

Greene is not very explosive.  I would like to see a second gear when he hits daylight but he does not have that kind of ability.

Greene is not a good receiver.  He does not run good routes and drops too many balls.  But in fairness to him, the Iowa coaching staff did not use him much in the passing game so his receiving skills should improve with experience.

Greene is a punishing runner.  He likes to take on defenders and frequently drives them backward.  He has great body lean and is always getting positive yards after contact. 

He had only 376 carries (307 as a senior) so he comes into the league with fresh legs.  This will definitely help since he will bring his physical style to the Jets and will have to remain durable despite taking a lot of hits.

Greene is tough and competitive.  He is a powerful runner, which is what the Jets are looking for, but I am concerned about his lack of explosiveness and his straight ahead running style.

I like the way he attacks the line of scrimmage but he also has the tendency to bounce plays to the outside when he should stay between the tackles.  He will have to become more of a better north-south runner in the NFL.

He was a back up in 2005 and 2006 then was declared academically ineligible in 2007.  He was a one-year wonder at Iowa and did not have the long-term production at the collegiate level that you would like to see.

But there is no doubt Greene fits well with what Rex Ryan is trying to do.  He will bring the toughness and physical style to control the ball in cold weather. 

Greene is not the back I would have selected but he fits Ryan’s system.  He will gain tough yards between the hashes and will be a bruising back for the Jets.  But he will need to be complemented with other running backs who have more elusiveness